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Jack Draper took little time in dismantling Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-1 in the Monte-Carlo Masters - Getty Images/Clive Brunskill
Jack Draper breezed into the third round of the Monte-Carlo Masters and the British No 1 is finally ready to make his mark on clay.
Last year, Draper won just four of his 10 matches on clay but against American Marcos Giron, on the back of winning Indian Wells last month, the world No 6 looked imperious as he needed just an hour to ease through.
Draper hit 21 winners, 12 from his devastating forehand and five aces. Giron had no answer to the barrage he faced and appeared shell-shocked at times.
After the match, Draper references his past struggles on clay and says he is determined to show what he can do on clay.
“It’s not easy conditions here sometimes, it can be slower if you’re on later, but I think I’m transitioning well to clay,” he said. “I’ve worked really hard to look for my forehand and be effective on this surface as I’ve struggled on it a bit in the last couple of years.
“I’m growing in confidence, it was a bit of an adjustment, coming here last year I was 40-odd in the world and now I’m No 6. It’s been an amazing year but I want to keep up the hard work, people will be after me that’s for sure, I’m ready to compete really hard and put my tennis on the court.”
More to follow...
07:03 PM BST
When will Draper play next?
Draper is due to play again on Thursday, where he will meet the winner of Tomás Martín Etcheverry and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
06:54 PM BST
Draper’s dominance in numbers
- 21 winners (12 forehand, five aces)
- 31/43 points won on serve
- 15/41 serves unreturned
- 7/11 points won at the net
- 57/89 of total points won
06:45 PM BST
Draper reacts
06:36 PM BST
WATCH: How Draper completed victory
06:23 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 6-1 Giron*
Rafael Nadal-like forehand winner down the line from Draper to start the game. He then crushes another forehand return to make it, 0-30.
Another Draper return proves to be too good for Giron and after one hour, the Briton has a match point.
GAME SET MATCH DRAPER! Giron forehand into the net and Draper cruises into the next round.
06:18 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 5-1 Giron
Rare serve and volley from Draper works a treat for him at 30-30 but Giron earns a break point with a forehand winner.
Ace by Draper to snuff out Giron’s hopes of a break, deuce. Heavier ball striking from Giron at the moment and his ball down the line stretches Draper and he nets a backhand. Break point...
Frustration for Giron after he sends his backhand return wide. He had to make the court there. But Draper comes through his biggest test on serve today to move one game away from victory.
06:10 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 4-1 Giron*
Giron is spraying the ball here and it is allowing Draper to run away with this. Three errors in a row and Draper breaks again.
06:07 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 3-1 Giron
Such a calmness and authority to Draper’s game at the moment. He consolidates the break here and is not far away now from the third round.
06:04 PM BST
Shot of the tournament from Draper
06:03 PM BST
Draper 6-1, 2-1 Giron*
The injections of pace from Draper are drawing gasps at times from the crowd. He’s putting on a real show here and Giron is just a bystander.
A backhand long by Giron gives Draper a break point. And the pressure is too much for him as her errors again.
Draper breaks.
05:55 PM BST
Draper* 6-1, 1-1 Giron
Another routine service hold from Draper as he holds in what felt like a minute.
05:54 PM BST
Second Set: Draper 6-1, 0-1 Giron* (*denotes server)
Shot of the match from Draper. Giron has an easy smash to put away but Draper anticipates it and coolly strokes a backhand down the line, 40-15.
Giron holds to end the run of games against him, but there’s a shell-shocked look on his face at the moment.
05:49 PM BST
Draper* 6-1 Giron
28 minutes in and Draper has three set points. And he takes it at the very first attempt with a whipped forehand winner, his ninth of the match.
Brutal, big-hitting tennis from Draper.
"That is one SERIOUS set of tennis"
Jack Draper takes the first set 6-1 in just 28 minutes️ pic.twitter.com/7na2I9nnGJ
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) April 8, 2025
05:46 PM BST
Draper 5-1 Giron*
Draper expertly slides into his forehand and whips a winner down the line, 0-30. He then runs around his backhand on Giron’s first serve and hammers a forehand down the line for a winner, 0-40.
Giron manages to save the first two break points. Can he save a third? No. Giron can’t get the ball away from Draper’s forehand and gets dragged around the court before dumping a backhand into the net.
Draper breaks and will serve for the set.
05:42 PM BST
Draper* 4-1 Giron
After 21 minutes, Draper consolidates the break with a routine service hold. Giron is struggling with the firepower coming from Draper’s racket at the moment. Only complacency will stop Draper winning this match.
05:38 PM BST
Draper 3-1 Giron*
Ideal response by Draper to a tricky hold of serve in the previous game. He earns himself three break points to move 0-40 ahead. Giron holds the first two but not the third after netting a forehand.
Draper is bullying Giron with his forehand. Draper breaks.
05:33 PM BST
Draper* 2-1 Giron
Wild forehand by Draper and he slips to 15-40. It has been a loose game from him so far. He saves the first break point. And the second with an outstanding backhand overhead smash on the full stretch to make it deuce.
And he seals the game with a forehand dropshot winner. Great recovery from Draper.
05:28 PM BST
Draper 1-1 Giron*
The clay is obviously a much slower surface compared to grass and hard courts so we can expect long rallies tonight. Draper won’t be able to blast through Giron like he probably would on other surfaces. It will be a test of his patience and ability to take his chances on break points.
Draper, intent on proving me wrong, strikes an angled forehand winner to make it deuce. But Giron comes through the game with a forehand winner of his own.
Early signs from Draper that he sees an opportunity with the drop shot against Giron.
05:22 PM BST
First Set: Jack Draper* 1-0 Marcos Giron (*denotes server)
Giron won the toss and opted to receive first and he might think he made a great decision after Draper double faults on the opening point.
Draper hits back with an ace and back-to-back errors from Giron make it 40-15.
And blasts through the first game with a forehand winner. Solid start.
05:12 PM BST
Draper in Monte-Carlo
Hello and welcome to coverage from Monte-Carlo as British No 1 Jack Draper gets his clay court season underway.
Draper takes on American Marcos Giron in the second round after a first round bye. Clay is the one surface where Draper has much to improve on but he is excited by the chance to work on his skills.
He said: “I feel like I haven’t had too much exposure to clay. A couple of years ago, I got injured so I wasn’t able to play too much.
“Last year, I lost a couple of really close matches to top 10 players and I wasn’t able to get my feet off the ground. This year, I feel better in all areas, so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s to come and what I can do on this surface. I definitely have a lot to prove.”
Being a left handed player has drawn comparison between Draper and clay court great Rafael Nadal but the Briton says that is premature.
“Being compared to Rafa is not right, to be honest,” he told discovery+ ahead of. “He’s obviously an icon of the game and a 14-time Roland-Garros [winner], it’s nuts.
“I definitely think being a lefty and having that loopy forehand and stuff is pretty similar, but there are definitely areas in my game I need to improve on to get to his standard.”
Draper’s success this season has brought him increased attention, but Tim Henman believes he has everything in place to handle the scrutiny.
He said: “I definitely think Jack has the capacity mentally, physically and technically to deal with it. And also, I think he’s got a very good team around him who will provide that support.
“So yes, it’s still a steep learning curve for Jack. He’s just broken into the top 10, but I think he’s playing brilliant tennis. I still think there’s plenty of areas that he can improve on.
“He’s got a busy clay court season coming up, but it will be exciting when he gets to the grass in the UK.”
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